Choosing your perfect tour type.We offer just about every type of adventure imaginable. Explore with other likeminded travellers on our organised group tours, alternatively try a private departure or talk to our tailormade team if you want more flexibility.

Explore the world with your family.Our Explore family adventure holidays are designed for families looking for a fun and memorable holiday, allowing you to explore exotic and unique destinations, with all of the logistics taken care of.

The one stop shop for all things special. Keep up to date with our latest special offers, promotions and incentives. Sign up for our newsletter and be the first to hear about great new tours, competitions, special offers and other exclusive deals. Sign up now!

Welcome to Explore - The Adventure Travel Experts.Explore has been running small group responsible adventures for nearly 35 years so you can be confident that you are in safe hands. Browse to find out more about Explore, our staff, tour leaders and values.

India Family Adventure Tour

Enjoy this fascinating introduction to northern India as we search for the Bengal Tiger in its natural habitat and visit the magnificent Taj Mahal at sunrise. We also ride elephants to a hilltop fortress, explore villages in bullock-carts and take a camel safari across sand dunes. This varied holiday takes us from the bustling streets of Delhi, to the desert plains of Pushkar.

Tour Highlights

Ranthambore National Park - Take two game drives in search of tigers, monkeys and sloth bears

Agra - Visit the incredible Taj Mahal at sunrise

Bharatpur National Park - Spot birdlife from a cycle rickshaw

Pachewar - Ride a bullock cart through a typical rural village

Jaipur - Explore the Amber Fort and use the Observatory's giant sun dial to check the time

Pushkar - Ride camels and climb up to Savitri Temple for sunset

Delhi - Explore the wide streets of New Delhi and the winding market lanes of Old Delhi

Itinerary

1

Join tour Delhi; city tour of New Delhi

Arrive in Delhi and check in to our hotel. The Indian capital has long been a phoenix rising again and again out of its own ruins. New Delhi was the creation of the British Raj of the 30's and our tour includes a look at the Lok Sabha building (Parliament), India Gate, the Rajpath and Qutb Minar

Overnight: Standard HotelSwimming Pool Available

Included Meals:
None

2

Old Delhi sightseeing; visit Agra Fort

Compared to New Delhi the Old City is much closer to the image conjured up by Rudyard Kipling. We travel by cycle rickshaw to its hub at Chandni Chowk Bazaar, a jamboree of deafening barter and a wonderful introduction to the 'real' India. The major sights nearby are the Jami Masjid Mosque and we pass by the Red Fort on our way out of the city. We drive to Agra which takes approximately three hours. In the afternoon we plan to visit Agra Fort, built by Akbar the Great, which contains the incomparable Moti Masjid (Pearl Mosque). Before returning to the hotel we will get our first sight of the Taj Mahal in the evening light.

Overnight: Standard HotelSwimming Pool Available

Included Meals:
Breakfast

3

This morning we aim to visit the Taj Mahal, the world’s most perfect and poetic building, at sunrise. Over 300 years have elapsed since its construction, yet it stands today unscarred by age; its beauty and symmetry seemingly beyond man, time and space. Created by Shah Jahan as a funerary monument to his favourite wife, Mumtaz, it took 22 years to build (1630-52). The Great Moghul lies beside his beloved under the white marble dome. Inlaid with precious gems, the building cost a fortune. Later Shah Jahan moved his capital to Delhi before being overthrown by his son, Aurangzeb. After breakfast we will drive to the entrance of Keoladeo Ghana National Park. Formerly a royal duck-shooting reserve and now an ornithologist’s paradise, the sanctuary is best visited either at dusk or dawn. Covering 12 square miles, some 7000 acres are under water: the lakes and marshlands offer a safe habitat for large numbers of breeding waterbirds and migrants. More than 300 species have been sighted, among them herons, storks, geese and the huge and rare Siberian crane. We will be taken on a birdwatching tour by cycle rickshaw and we hope to see some of these magnificent birds. This afternoon we will head to the train station to catch our train to Ranthambore (approximately 2 hours).

Overnight: Standard HotelSwimming Pool Available

Included Meals:
Breakfast, Dinner

4

In Ranthambore: game drives

Ranthambore is one of the best examples of the country's tiger conservation projects. The best chance of sightings is between September and May. During this period water is scarce and the animals must stay close to the lakes and river. It is little wonder that this was once one of the best hunting areas of the Maharajas. We include a game drive this morning into the Reserve, in search of the wildlife which, as well as tiger, includes sloth bear, langur, jackal and fox as well as crested hawk eagle, crested serpent eagle, jacana, parakeet and white-breasted kingfisher. The park itself is very picturesque with lakes, rivers and forests surrounded by steep cliffs and rocky outcrops. In the afternoon there is another opportunity to do a game drive to get a chance to see more wildlife and views. The vehicles used for game drives are open top cantors, with up to 20 seats and ideal for spotting wildlife. Due to regulations aimed at keeping traffic to a minimum in the parks we cannot guarantee exclusive use of the cantors.

Overnight: Standard HotelSwimming Pool Available

Included Meals:
Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

5

Optional game drive before driving to Pachewar

This morning there is chance for an optional game drive before we drive to Pachewar (approximately 4 hours drive). A small village, Pachewar is famous for cenotaphs, blue pottery kilns, metal toy makers and interesting surroundings. It is a lively place that was once ruled by Khangarot Rajputs. The caretaker of Khandar, Thakur Anoop Singh Khangarot, had captured the fort of Ranthambor from the captivity of Marathas and annexed the fort to the state of Jaipur. Maharaja Sawai Madho Singh I of Jaipur bestowed upon him the fief of Pachewar. After that, the nobles from the Khangarot clan of Rajputs ruled Pachewar. We will be staying in a family run heritage hotel, Pachewar Garh. This fort with its huge ramparts, turrets and gates, was built about 300 years ago and bears testimony to its rich heritage. After checking in, we will spend the afternoon exploring the village and surrounding area by bullock drawn cart, which gives us an ideal opportunity to sample first hand traditional rural life in a typical village.

Overnight: Standard HotelSwimming Pool Available

Included Meals:
Breakfast

6

Drive to Pushkar with opportunity to climb up to Savitri temple

From Pachewar we drive to Pushkar (approximately 3 hours). This popular lakeside town has a wonderful atmosphere and gives us a real insight into rural India. This evening it will be possible to climb up to Savitri temple to watch the beautiful sunset views.

Overnight: Simple HotelSwimming Pool Available

Included Meals:
Breakfast

7

Camel trek; drive to Jaipur

This morning we leave the bus behind and take a camel trek through nearby villages to the Brahma Temple. This traditional method of transport has been used for centuries and is a great way to meet some of the locals. This afternoon we will then drive to Jaipur. The drive will take about 5 hours although there is always something new or different to see along the roadside in rural India. There is an optional puppet show at the hotel this evening or you may wish to see a Bollywood movie at the local cinema.

Overnight: Standard HotelSwimming Pool Available

Included Meals:
Breakfast, Dinner

8

In Jaipur visiting Amber Palace and Fortress

Today, we drive the short distance to the foot of Amber Palace/fortress; then, if they are available, we may have the chance to ride elephants up to the gateway. This impressive hilltop fortress possesses what must be the world's finest Chamber of Mirrors and also affords glorious views of the surrounding plains. We will visit the palace with a local guide after which we will return to Jaipur. Sometimes called the Pink City, Jaipur's palaces and fortified walls were first painted terracotta pink by Maharajah Swai Ram Singh to celebrate the visit of Prince Albert in 1853. This afternoon, after arriving and checking in to our hotel, we will take a city tour with a local guide. We will visit the lavish and well preserved City Palace with its fine collection of textiles, costumes and armoury and the Palace of the Winds, a 5-storied façade (built about 1760) which has been the subject of countless Indian posters. Jai Singh, the great Maharaja astronomer, built his extraordinary (and very accurate) stargazing Observatory (Jantra) here. The Old City has several fine gates let into the pink walls, and there are many opportunities for photos and shopping.

Overnight: Standard HotelSwimming Pool Available

Included Meals:
Breakfast

9

Train to Delhi

We have a very early start this morning as we take the train back to Delhi. On arrival we are free for last minute sightseeing or picking up some souvenirs at the Chadni Chowk bazaar.

Overnight: Standard HotelSwimming Pool Available

Included Meals:
Breakfast

10

Tour ends Delhi

Tour notes

Each departure date has it's own dedicated tour note, detailing all you need to know about that tour. Whether you've already booked, or weighing up your options, please choose carefully the relevant itinerary for you.

We have the following different versions of the Family Taj, Tigers & Palaces tour available at present.

Why Book this tour

India is an amazing place and this adventure combines the historic Taj Mahal and Amber Fort with game viewing to see tigers and riding a bullock cart through a rural village. This holiday is for families who enjoy discovering new cultures and regions of the world and want to immerse themselves into its cuisine, people and traditions (along with viewing tigers !).